Collection 00/MS.161 - Abraham J. Becker Papers

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary:

I, Abraham J. Becker, son of Rev. John and Aganetha (Nickel) Becker, was born on Oct. 17, 1875, in Rudnerweide, South Russia. In the spring of 1878 my parents with their family emigrated to the United States and settled on a farm of 80 acres six and one-half miles southeast of Mt. Lake, Minn. Here I grew up under the loving care and upbringing of my godly parents.     I went to several different schools. First I was taught in our home with my father as my teacher. Then I attended several other schools. Many precious Bible verses and songs that I learned during that time have remained in my memory. These have been a source of rich blessing in my life.     The Spirit of God worked in my heart from my early years. God's grace was great in that I realized my lost condition and gave myself to the Lord to be His own. On July 22, 1900, I was baptized upon confession of my faith by Rev. Aron Wall and received into the E. M. B. Church.     On Oct. 13, 1901, I entered the state of holy matrimony with Sara Fast, daughter of Rev. Henry and Maria Fast. During this time of our marriage, we have been employed in several different occupations. For some years we worked our 80 acre farm and for several years I was a school teacher, all the while active in the Lord's work wherever we were. For a few years we lived at Bethel College, Newton, Kansas where I went to school. (Previous to this he attended Bethel College before 1900 for a couple of years.) In the spring of 1919 we sold our farm and moved to our home in Mt. Lake, where we lived until September 1950.     In October 1926, we were privileged to have a thanksgiving service on the occasion of our silver wedding; and 25 years later, a golden wedding service in the Eventide Home.     In the fall of 1950, due to the helpless state of my wife, we sold our possessions and moved to the Eventide Home in Mt. Lake, Minn. On Feb. 9, 1953, came the hard hour when I said goodbye to my dearly beloved helpmate, who had stood by me so faithfully and lovingly. Her last word to me was, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."     When I look back over my life I have to humbly confess with Jacob in Gen. 32:10, "I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed thy servant."     (Thus far written by Mr. Becker.)     Ill with arteriosclerosis, Mr. Becker was stricken with a cerebral thrombosis on Oct. 10, 1960, and was taken from the Eventide Home to the hospital. On Oct. 31 he had gained enough strength so that he could go back to the Eventide Home. By November he was able to attend Sunday school and worship services and to visit relatives and friends.     On March 21, 1961 he was taken to the hospital the second time, having had another stroke, a severe one, which disabled his left side. On April 24 he suffered a final stroke, and quietly and peacefully slipped away to be with the Lord and loved ones.     He is survived by four brothers and two sisters, David J. Becker of Aberdeen, Idaho, Jacob Becker of El Monte, Calif., Peter J. Becker of Aberdeen, Henry J. Becker of Fruitland, Idaho, Sara, Mrs. Peter Bartel of Aberdeen, and Mrs. Aron J. Wall of Wolf Point, Mont. Preceding him in death were his wife Sara; his parents; his sisters Aganetha, Mrs. H. J. Fast, Maria, Mrs. Diet. Warkentine, Helena, Mrs. Abr. Schultz, Anna, Mrs. David H. Unrau, Katherine, Mrs. Andreas Boese, and one brother, John J. Becker.